Less than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it releases its initial guidance on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to widespread access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the present most optimistic case, the supply of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand availability, via measures like voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients usually see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies points to patients may regain a significant portion a year later of discontinuing the medication, when their usual hunger come back.
Being overweight or obese increases your risk for developing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
